Jones Fracture

A Jones fracture is a broken bone in your foot. More specifically, it’s a break in your fifth metatarsal. That’s the bone that connects your pinkie toe to the rest of your foot.

Jones fractures are one of the most common foot fractures. Your foot bones can take a lot of force throughout your day. But too much pressure on the small fifth metatarsal can crack or break it.

Healthcare providers sometimes call Jones fractures other names, including:

• 5th metatarsal fractures
• Metatarsal 5 fractures
• Dancer’s fractures

These are all names for the same injury. No matter what your provider calls it, you might need surgery to repair a Jones fracture. It usually takes a few months to heal.

Symptoms of a Jones fracture

Jones fracture symptoms can include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Trouble walking or putting weight on that foot
• Bruising or skin discoloration
• A noticeable bump (deformity)

You might know that something injured your foot. But Jones fractures sometimes happen because of repeated stress that builds up over time. In those cases, you may not think of having a broken bone in your foot. But you’ll still probably notice symptoms.

Jones fracture causes

Jones fractures often happen after a sudden impact on your foot while you have it twisted with your heel lifted off the ground. Picture a dancer jumping and landing on their toes. That’s why dancer’s fracture is another name for these breaks.

Some of the most common causes of Jones fractures include:

• Sports injuries: Sports with lots of jumping (like dance, gymnastics, basketball or volleyball) or quickly twisting with your weight on your toes (like football or soccer)
• Falls and slips: Tripping, missing a stair or slipping on icy or wet surfaces
• Repeated overuse: Stress from running, standing or working on hard surfaces often

Jones fracture complications

Jones fractures have a higher risk of complications, like malunion and nonunion. That’s because the bones in your feet get less blood than in other parts of your body. This can make them take longer to heal.

Jones fractures also have a higher risk of re-breaking, especially if you resume physical activities or sports too soon.

How doctors diagnose fifth metatarsal fractures

A healthcare provider will diagnose a Jones fracture with a physical exam and imaging tests. They’ll examine your foot and ask when you first noticed symptoms like pain or swelling. Tell your provider what you were doing if you know you fell or had a sports injury.

Your provider will use tests to take pictures of your fifth metatarsal and the area around it. You might need:

• X-ray
• MRI
• CT scan

Types of Jones fractures

Healthcare providers sometimes classify Jones fractures into one of three zones. The zones match a section of your fifth metatarsal where your bone is broken:

• Zone 1: The first zone is the end closest to the middle of your foot. These breaks usually heal in around two months after wearing a boot or cast. You might not need surgery.
• Zone 2: This is the middle part of your bone. If zone 1 is the “head” of your fifth metatarsal, then zone 2 is the “body.” It extends out, farther away from the middle of your foot. These usually require surgery.
• Zone 3: This is the part of your fifth metatarsal that connects to your pinkie toe bones. Breaks in zone 3 are usually stress fractures that take longer to heal and sometimes require surgery.

How doctors treat Jones fractures

Your healthcare provider will recommend treatments based on which type of Jones fracture you have and the severity of the break. The most common treatments include:

• Immobilization: You might only need to wear a cast or boot, usually for six to eight weeks. You’ll need immobilization after surgery or other treatments to keep your foot stable and take pressure off it.
• Closed reduction: Your provider will push and pull on your foot to realign (set) your bone. They’ll give you some anesthesia to make sure you don’t feel pain.
• Surgery: Jones fractures often require surgery to make sure your bone heals right. A surgeon will probably do an ORIF procedure. They’ll insert fasteners like pins or screws into your bone to hold it together while it heals.
• Bone grafts: You may need a bone graft if the fracture is very severe. Your surgeon might also do a graft if your bone doesn’t heal back together. They’ll insert donor bone tissue to rejoin your fractured bone.

Recovery time

It usually takes a few weeks for symptoms to improve after treatment. Your provider or surgeon will tell you when it’s OK to start walking normally again.

If you need surgery, you might not be able to put weight on your foot for up to eight weeks. You’ll need physical therapy to help you regain strength and mobility.

You should be able to resume all of your normal activities, including playing sports, in three to four months. Don’t resume any activities before your provider says it’s safe. Jones fractures can have a high risk of breaking again if your bone hasn’t healed enough.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Visit a healthcare provider if you think you have a broken bone or have experienced a foot injury. See someone if you have pain, swelling or other symptoms that don’t get better after a few days of rest.

It’s common to have minor aches and pains after a long day on your feet. But don’t ignore severe pain, especially if it’s bad enough to stop you from walking or moving normally.

Contact your provider right away if you notice any of these symptoms after starting Jones fracture treatment:

• Severe pain that doesn’t get better after taking medications
• New swelling
• Skin discoloration
• Heat or warmth near your surgery site
• Draining, pus or a bad smell from your surgery site

What can I expect if I have a Jones fracture?

Your recovery will depend on how well your bone heals and if you experience any complications. But you should expect to make a full recovery. Your healthcare provider or surgeon will tell you what to expect.